20 Ways to Participate in the Great American Cleanup

The Keep America Beautiful® Great American Cleanup® is the nation’s largest community improvement program in which 300,000 Americans take part in activities to pick up litter and green their communities between now and the first day of summer (March 19-June 20).

Through the 2024 Great American Cleanup, Keep America Beautiful encourages all individuals to join the movement and help end littering. Here are 20 ways to get involved.

1. Find a local affiliate to join one of their Great American Cleanup® events.
2. Set a goal to pick up litter outside for at least 15 minutes each day for one month during the Great American Cleanup.
3. Challenge yourself to pick up 152 pieces of litter this spring. Why 152? According to our 2020 National Litter Study, if everyone made the individual action of picking up 152 pieces of litter (all at once) there would be no litter on the ground unless someone littered again. Share your experience on social media by tagging Keep America Beautiful and including #152PickUpChallenge.
4. Get plogging. Plogging combines jogging with picking up litter, offering exercise benefits while supporting your community and the environment.
5. Teach children to properly dispose and recycle with fun activities.
6. Properly dispose of cigarette butts in ash receptacles and portable ashtrays.
7. Keep storm drains clear of litter and debris.
8. Recycle on the go or hold on to your recyclables until you can get to a recycling bin.
9. Lead by example and do not litter. The less litter in an area, the more likely people will keep it clean.
10. Keep a litter bag in your car to dispose of trash.
11. Secure your loads to prevent trash and debris from creating litter on the roads.
12. Clean up graffiti or transform graffiti-ridden walls into community murals.
13. Donate your old car, truck, boat, motorcycle, or motor home to Keep America Beautiful.
14. Revitalize and clean up a local park or playground.
15. Plant native species. Native trees, for instance, can benefit local wildlife, moderate ground temperature, and remove carbon dioxide from the air.
16. Adopt an alley, highway, or street near you.
17. Pick up after your pets.
18. Clean out inside your home and check locally for sites to donate or recycle unwanted clothing and electronics.
19. Donate to Keep America Beautiful to help us continue to make a lasting environmental, economic and social impact on communities nationwide.
20. Leverage social media to share community updates and initiatives. Follow along with #dobeautifulthings, #152PickupChallenge, and #GreatAmericanCleanup.

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About Keep America Beautiful®:

Keep America Beautiful®, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful® strives to End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify America’s Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean, green, and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to contribute to that vision. The organization is driven by the work and passion of 700 Keep America Beautiful® affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the collaborative support of corporate partners, social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.

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McCall Vrydaghs

Keep America Beautiful®